The Daily Word: Former WWE Star Chyna Dies…AND MORE

The cause of her death is still being investigated but there seems to be no foul play.

Former WWE star Joanie Laurer, who was better known as Chyna, has died. Laurer was found dead in her apartment on Wednesday. According to the Redondo Beach Police Department the cause of her death is still being investigated but there seems to be no foul play. “There are no indications or signs that the death was a result of foul play,” said the police department in a statement. “Events leading up to the death of [Lauer] is under investigation by the Redondo Beach Police Department to assist in the determination if the death was natural or accidental.” There was a statement posted to her Twitter account following her death. “It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real-life superhero. The ninth wonder of the world has passed away. She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.” Laurer was 46. Read more.

Life Expectancy for White Women is Declining

According to new research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy for white women is on the decline. Data shows that the life expectancy for non-Hispanic white women dropped by 0.1 years. “Life expectancy numbers for the population have been rather stagnant for some time,” said author Elizabeth Arias, who created the report. Arias said that although the change may seem minor it indicates a major transition in relation to other research. “It is still not trivial if you put it in the context with the other research.” The life expectancy for non-Hispanic Black men and Latino men increased by 0.1 year. Hispanic women also saw an increase of 0.2 years. Despite the changes in regards to race, the overall expectancy for the U.S. population remained at 78.8 years. Read more.

Poll: Black Parents Are Unsatisfied with the Quality of Education for their Children

A new poll revealed that African American parents don’t believe that their children are getting a suitable education in public schools. The survey, which was conducted by The Leadership Conference Education, polled 400 black parents and families. Funding at public schools in black communities was a major concern; 83 percent of Black parents said that they schools in their community don’t get enough education funds compared to white schools. The study also found that 53 percent of Black parents believe that the country isn’t doing a good job when it comes to putting the focus on the education of Black students. “The sense of racial inequity creates a good deal of resentment among African-Americans in particular,” said Matt Hogan, who works with the Anzalone Liszt Grove Research. Hogan said that Black parents “say schools are not doing a good job nationally of preparing Black children for the future.” Read more.

Financial Woes Are Causing HBCU’s to Recruit Non-Black Students

HBCU’s are doing all that they can to say afloat financially. They are even going as far as recruiting non-Black students due to low enrollment. When confronted with a tight budget Dr. Harry L. Williams, president of Delaware State University, not only eliminated some of the university’s programs; he started looking for non-Black students to enroll. “It’s a revenue generator for us and a way of marketing the university,” said Williams. “We’re definitely committed to our heritage and our history. But we had to make sure that we were relevant and have programs that would attract students.” Other HBCU’s have expanded the reach of their recruiting as well including North Carolina A&T and Tennessee State University. According to data released by the University of Pennsylvania, a quarter of HBCU’s have a 20 percent non-African American population. Read more.

Broadway productions Eclipsed and The Color Purplethe Musical have garnered nominations for the 66th annual Outer Critics Circle Awards. Eclipsed, which stars Lupita Nyong’o and was written by Danai Gurira, notched a handful of nominations. They are in the running for Outstanding New Broadway Play, Outstanding Actress in a Play, and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play. The Color Purple was nominated for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. The winners of the awards will be revealed on May 9. Read more.

Michael Strahan ‘Hurt’ By Ripa’s Reaction to His Departure

Michael Strahan is finally speaking out about his decision to leave Live! With Kelly and Michael. According to a close source Strahan wanted to reveal the news himself and tell Kelly Ripa in person. “He very much wanted to do the right thing,” said the source. “It was important to him. He wanted to tell her in person and give her months notice.” Following Strahan’s announcement, Ripa was absent from Wednesday’s show. She is reportedly on vacation with her family. “He is hurt by her reaction, of course,” said the source. “The very public way she’s handling this. You can’t not show up for work. If you’re going to have a meltdown you don’t do it publicly.” Strahan will join the Good Morning America team full-time with anchors George Stephanopoulos, Lara Spencer, Amy Robach, and Robin Roberts. He is slated to start the new position in September. Read more.